A Father's Watchful Gaze
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: Some nights, Splinter still followed his sons even though he knew that they no longer needed his protection.


Title: "A Father's Watchful Gaze"  
Author: Pirate Turner  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Some nights, Splinter still followed his sons even though he knew that they no longer needed his protection.  
Warnings: None  
Word Count: 691  
Challenge: Fan Fic Land's weekly drabble challenge for 30 August, 2010: "In the shadows"  
Date Written: 2 September, 2010  
Disclaimer: Splinter, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are & TM their respective owners, none of which are the author, and are used without permission. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Some nights, he still followed them even though he knew that they no longer needed his protection. He would trail behind them, careful to not make any sound to give himself away, and yet at times, he suspected that they still knew he was there. He often allowed them to go out by themselves, but it was just some nights, when his instincts bothered him and his whiskers twitched more than usual, that he simply felt he had to keep his watchful gaze upon his sons to protect them and did so in silence.

Rarely did they need him, but every now and again, something would happen. An enemy would sneak upon them unnoticed, or one of his sons would have too many of their foes move upon them at one time. He would always step in from the shadows, fearful that they would discover his presence and be angered by it, but he had never once given himself away.

Tonight had proven to be just such a questionable night as a gang of thirty Foot soldiers had gotten the drop on his boys. Splinter had stayed in the shadows, watching his children battle their foes from a distance just far enough to, hopefully, keep him from being seen, but when a Foot Ninja sprang at Leonardo's back while he battled two others, and his three brothers were all distracted with their own opponents, Splinter could stand still no longer.

His tail whipped about his furry legs as he pulled a star from inside his worn and tattered cloak. He threw the weapon with expert aim, striking the ninja in the back of his head, and Leo whirled around what would have been a moment too late. His eyes cast about and then looked directly into his father's. Splinter stilled himself where he remained in the shadows, hoping that the accusation of keeping too watchful a guard over them would not meet his pointy ears. Then his heart warmed and leapt for joy as Leonardo smiled and nodded his respect and gratitude.

Leo then ducked into his shell as another Foot Ninja made a move at slicing off his neck. His head stuck back out a second later, and he swiftly disarmed the opposing ninja. He turned his focus back to the battle at hand, and he and his brothers swiftly dispatched their remaining enemies. When the dust was cleared and no Foot was left standing, Leonardo looked back to where he had seen his father, but Splinter had moved.

Still he watched them, and Leo smiled in secret. He and his brothers had known that their father followed them some nights for quite some time now, and they had all agreed that they would not speak of it. He turned to join his brothers' celebrations with a shout of "COWABUNGA!" as he wondered where his beloved Sensei had moved to and knew that he was not far. He would always watch over them if he could, and that knowledge gave Leo the warmth and satisfaction of being reminded that his father would always be there for him and would always love and care for him.

Of the four brothers, only Raphael sometimes complained about Splinter trailing them, but even he, Leo knew, deep down, was glad to know he was there unless he was having one of his temper tantrums. Leonardo himself remained in constant agreement with Donatello and Michelangelo. They were all three glad to have Splinter with them whenever he chose to be and would never disrespect him by telling him that they were fully aware of his habitual trailing. Indeed, they only worried about it when they thought it might endanger him, but they knew, too, that they would protect him to their deaths just as he would protect them.

{I love you, Dad,} whispered through Leonardo's mind, and though Splinter could not hear him, Splinter still smiled for he had heard the words in the gaze they had shared. He turned now, as did his sons, to head back home, his long tail swishing with the merriment and love with which his sons filled his heart.

**The End**

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this story, or any of my other writings, I hope you'll consider joining my brand new fan fic land comm - /FanFicLand - where four teams compete with weekly drabble challenges and monthly longer fic challenges to see who can reach 5,000 points first!


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